Chicago bigwigs indicted in kickback case

CHICAGO, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Chicago prosecutors have indicted a rich Republican insider and two powerful lawyers in an alleged kickback scheme.

The indictment states that wealthy GOP donor Stuart Levine had demanded a $850,000 kickback last year from a Virginia investment firm, JER Inc., declaring "This is how things are done in Illinois," the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday.

Levine is a former trustee of the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System and vice chairman of a state hospital oversight board. About three months ago Levine was charged with misusing his board seat to block hospital projects unless his friends got a cut of the business.

Joseph Cari, a prominent Democratic fundraiser, and attorney Steven Loren, both of whom were charged with assisting in the scheme, are cooperating in the ongoing probe and are expected to plead guilty, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said.